While the 2025 season has not yet begun, perhaps we should pay attention to the guard position over the next few months.
The 2025 NFL season hasn’t even begun yet, but some are already peeking ahead past the season to the 2026 NFL draft. Pro Football Focus, using the dead of the offseason, gave one position for every NFL team that they should think about in the draft next year.
For the Arizona Cardinals, that is at guard on the offensive line.
The Cardinals did not address their interior offensive line with any premium assets this offseason, despite the unit finishing 2024 with sub-70.0 PFF pass-blocking and run-blocking grades.
Isaiah Adams and Evan Brown must play better at the guard spots in 2025, or Arizona will look for upgrades in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Truthfully, the Cardinals look at guard in the draft often. They drafted Jon Gaines in 2023. They took Adams last year and they added Hayden Conner this year.
Now, PFF was mistaken in saying the Cardinals didn’t address the offensive line. They re-signed Brown to a two-year deal after he played 2024 on a one-year deal and had a solid season. They also were in on the bidding in free agency for Will Fries, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
They also signed journeyman Royce Newman, though Adams appears to be in line to start at right guard.
If Adams doesn’t work out, then the Cardinals will surely look to address guard again either in free agency or the draft.
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